


The Boy Who Was Surrounded By Hidden Wolves

by Angelwithdaddyissues



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Lance (Voltron), Based in England because I know nothing about America soz, Basically everyone but Lance is a werewolf because he is from out of town, College Student Lance (Voltron), Filled with cliches because im soft for them, Galra Empire, I go into more detail about that in the fic because it's fickle, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Kuro and Shiro are not related, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Like blood and wounds are mentioned but i don't go into too much detail, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Non-Explicit Sex, Non-Graphic Violence, Protective Kuro, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Smitten Shiro (Voltron), They're a pack, Werewolf Allura, Werewolf Coran, Werewolf Hunk (Voltron), Werewolf Keith (Voltron), Werewolf Pidge | Katie Holt, Werewolf Shiro (Voltron), Werewolves Turn Into Actual Wolves, When I say college i'm talking england college, but that just means I can have elder characters still be in education, first fic, im so nervous to upload this but i promise i'll make it as good as i can, so Lance is around 17 going onto 18, this is third person but from lances perspective if that makes sense, werewolf kuro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 02:16:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithdaddyissues/pseuds/Angelwithdaddyissues
Summary: This is a story where Lance lives in Altea, a large town hidden amongst acres upon acres of forest in England. He moved there with nothing more than his inheritance money from his grandparents and with the bag on his back. Everything seemed to be going great - until he noticed how strange the town acted when he thought he wasn't looking. The fearful glances travellers sent his way when he was amongst friends. The odd howling that emitted deep from within the forest every full moon. The flashes of wolves he would see out of his window late at night when he could have sworn wolves were no more in England. But what confused him the most were his friends and the way that they became so protective of him in less than a month of knowing him.In a tale of misunderstandings, breaking of trust, soulmates scared of their fates and of a danger lingering in the dark - old and forgotten - Lance is left wondering who he can trust when he has been lied to by the ones that are closest to him. Overcoming betrayal and heartbreak is just the beginning for the boy surrounded by hidden wolves.





	1. Extended Summary

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thank you so much for clicking onto this fic!  
> Currently this fic is being planned out as I'm waiting for my summer holiday to begin before I try to upload and write chapters regularly.  
> The first chapter is more of an extended summary and I was hoping for absolutely any feedback (whether it's on how I can improve my writing, any ideas people might have, or where you think this will go!).  
> I would like to stress that Kuro and Shiro are not related by blood in this. Instead it's more coincidental that the two of them managed to meet in the first place but even more coincidental that they are soulmates.  
> Everyone in this fic is of age (sexually) by the laws of England (that being 16+) but please know that I am not planning on writing any explicit sexual scenes and, if I do, I will be sure to make sure they are of the legal age internationally to avoid any discomfort.  
> Please excuse my rambling, I have never published a fic on Archive before and am simply excited to get this going and see where it leads us. Trust me when I say I'm in the dark about this fic just as much as you are :p  
> ANYWAY  
> Enjoy this extended summary!!!!

The Altean Wolf Pack. It was pack spoken about in hushed whispers. Weary wolves kept their ears perked whenever they neared the territory of one of the strongest packs that existed in not only the country, but the world. Their achievements reached international levels and it wasn't uncommon for unlucky shifters to try and get into the esteemed pack. However, more often than not, they were kindly turned away and given directions to other packs in the surrounding area. The boarders that surrounded the pack never soured their reputation. If anything, it made them even more admirable for the thick bonds that each pack mate had with one another. It was a family. Through and through. Though rarely connected by blood, mothers would often tell their pups about how the dust of old stars would run through the wolves that lived in the quiet town of Altea. Destined to meet in every lifetime and form a bond so strong that nothing could break it. Or that was what they always thought and believed.

 

However, what they did not speak of was the human that lived obliviously amongst the fearsome wolves. The human who somehow managed to crawl his way into the hearts of each pack member with blinding smiles, lines decorated with silly flirtations, and with his heart open to all that would accept it. No one dared to speak bad of the human that lived his life in Altea. Merely because of the two wolves named Kuro and Shiro. Two wolves who had escaped the Galra whilst fighting in a bloodied pit against other shifters. Their gazes alone were sharp enough to cut someone. And that on days where they appeared to be in a good mood. So the human lived amongst the wolves peacefully and without care. He attended the College as a normal student and ignored how odd some of the people acted. Especially when he hung around with Kuro and Shiro, the two men who he easily befriended when he first moved in to the old yet quaint apartment that stood in solitude on the outskirts on a silent forest. 

Everything was perfect. Everything was fine.

So why did Lance feel so alone when he never had so much?

~~~

This is a fic where Lance lives in Altea, a large town hidden amongst acres upon acres of forest in England. He moved there with nothing more than his inheritance money from his grandparents and with the bag on his back. Everything seemed to be going great - until he noticed how strange the town acted when he thought he wasn't looking. The fearful glances travellers sent his way when he was amongst friends. The odd howling that emitted deep from within the forest every full moon. The flashes of wolves he would see out of his window late at night when he could have sworn wolves were no more in England. But what confused him the most were his friends and the way that they became so protective of him in less than a month of knowing him.

In a tale of misunderstandings, breaking of trust, soulmates scared of their fates and of a danger lingering in the dark - old and forgotten - Lance is left wondering who he can trust when he has been lied to by the ones that are closest to him. Overcoming betrayal and heartbreak is just the beginning for the boy surrounded by wolves.

 

 

 


	2. The Little House On The Little Street

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lance settles into his home, a sense of mystery begins to shadow his path and...apparently there are wolves and gremlins in England?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! We're back with chapter one! I was originally going to only post with 1,000 words but I reckoned I could fit in two special character's introductions!  
> Just a quick thing: In this fic I will be using the 24 hour clock system so, for future reference just in case someone is unsure: 14:00 = 2:00pm!  
> I had an amazing beta help me out but they currently don't have an @ for me to link so...thank you, dear beta!!!!!  
> HOWEVER, enjoy!! I hope you like it <3

The Little House on a Little Street

-

Lance took a deep, steadying breath as he watched the moving van rumble off down the road. His heart thumped steadily against his chest, reminding him that all of this was real and true. He had finally done it. With the help of his Grandparent’s inheritance money and with the support of old friends, Lance had made to Altea. A quaint town with trees that whispered tales of old; a town that had alley ways which hid secrets and mysteries in every cobbled stone. It hadn’t been Lance’s first choice – it really hadn’t. But when the young man stood in front of a calm, bubbling stream, eyes vacant and mind in another world, he realised he had not felt peace like this since his grandparents. He had finally realised that this truly was a fresh start.

As those tired, worn eyes drifted to watch ducklings waddle determinedly over to their sleeping mother, a curl crept up onto his lips and Lance finally found that the war that had been raging on within him had eased- if even for a blissful moment. The steady sounds of solid steps shook Lance out of his stupor and the boy turned to face his sister. Some would say the two were carbon copies of each other, what with the sharp angles on their faces, striking blue eyes that sung to anyone who stayed around long enough to get to know them and with the curled mop that sat on top of their heads, smooth and tangle free due to years of meticulous care. They were close. An outsider could clearly see that as the two embraced and murmured softly to each other, tears glinting and smiles faltering for a moment before it strengthened into one of genuine happiness for the other once more.

“You don’t have to do this.” The sister would murmur quietly to her brother, voice soft yet firm.  


“I do.” The brother would respond, the smoothness of his voice melding well with the sister’s. The two would part ways with bruised hearts tearing just that bit more and with the darkness in their minds swirling before being quelled by the thought of a better future that was promised to come in the silver that lined the heavy clouds above them. Neither saw the glint of gold come from the bushes. And they wouldn’t. Not for a long time.

Shaking his head to rid himself of any thoughts of his sister, Lance turned back to his new home. It was filled with character, is what he decided on sticking with. Sure there were a few more cracks than what would be considered proper and yeah, the paint was peeling on the fences. But those were all things Lance could fix. With a smile so bright it could rival the sun; Lance pushed forward, his mind focused on the mission at hand. That being, of course, the tattered boxes that lined the corridors of the muted house. His eyes narrowed in challenge as the boxes stood silently, tall and imposing. As if daring him to leave it for tomorrow in order to crash on his newly bought, second hand sofa that was pushed into the corner of his living room. And though tempted, Lance shook off the urge to collapse into the soft, barely stained pillows. No matter how much they called out longingly for him. No. He wouldn’t do it.  


Set and lost in his mission, Lance began to lose himself in the rhythm of decorating and shifting everything around, his body moving automatically. It was a comforting feeling, being able to move in his own space without having to worry about walking too loudly or creating too much clutter. It felt freeing. It was a liberty Lance swore he wouldn’t take advantage of – no matter how good things got or how relaxed he felt. He swore to never create the barriers his old home built up over the dulling years. Immersed in the world he was creating for himself, Lance wasn’t all that aware as the sun kissed the ground farewell and as the moons borrowed rays caressed the land around him. In fact, by the time he straightened his aching back and wiped at the sweat dripping from his forehead, Lance found that the only light that lit the house was the single, bright light that came from the rocky street outside. He was surprised to see that it even worked, in all honesty. Though well off and bustling with business, Lance lived far enough on the outskirts that the road was littered with potholes and bushes that had been left to grow onto the pavement. In short, Lance appeared to be living on a street that had seemingly been deserted some time ago. But that was nothing to dwell on; Lance decided with a lazy shake of his head, he had more pressing matters to deal with. Such as lighting up some candles, opening some windows and finally falling into the warm embrace of his pull-out sofa.

Whilst he mentally went through his check list of things he had done and things he still needed to do, Lance failed to notice the glowing eyes that watched him silently from the window which held a single succulent on it. It was a good thing, too. Because along with the eyes came an unsettling feeling of eeriness and an urge to submit. The birds and frogs which had been chirping had suddenly ceased. The same street which had been old and well-loved was suddenly ghostly in appearance and unsettled in feeling. It seemed to be a scene straight out of a horror film. And as the oblivious boy continued to fluff his pillows and light the final candle that stood proudly by his head, the eyes blinked slowly with an almost bored expression before they slunk away into the gloomy night.

As Lance allowed his eyes to slowly slide shut for the bit of rest that they had been deprived from for what felt like years, a piercing howl split the still air. It was instantaneous. One minute Lance was burrowed under the covers, the warmth oozing into his bones and embracing his body in a pleasant caresses and the next he was sat up, back rim-rod straight and heart slamming against his ribcage. That sounded like a wolf. A genuine wolf. In South England. Though the rational part of him tried to reason that it was simply a big dog, Lance’s more…imaginative side ran wild. His mind moving a mile a minute, Lance scrambled ungracefully out of his bed and rushed forward to slam the windows shut, ignoring the nauseated feeling he got when closing the window where his pink succulent sat proudly. Shivers racked through his slim body, body twitching and muscles tensing every time his house creaked or groaned. His abuela used to murmur softly that those sounds were simply the house settling down when Lance was no more than a baby seeking comfort. And whilst those memories brought back a feeling of nostalgic warmth as he crawled timidly back into his bed, his heart continued to beat uncomfortably far into the night.

Rest didn’t come easy that night. Though comfortable when the sun shone, the night bought a spine-chilling sensation that could rival the emotions a bully bought on when confronting you. It made him wake up at every clunk in his home, made his body curl into a fetal position, and made the child within Lance tug the blanket up and over his head so he could hide from the wolf that prowled Altea.

It was a restless night in Altea, for more than one person.

\---

Morning came and Lance had never felt so happy to jump out of bed and fold it back into the sofa. Though he still eyed the windows in nothing but distrust, Lance managed to go about his morning routine in relative peace. The cold water that splashed onto his face got rid of the sticky fatigue, the cream eased away the worry lines that had been present all night, and a light dusting of powder foundation eased away the blotchiness that was forever present on his normally smooth skin. With a new face came renewed confidence and Lance found himself winking and blowing a few too many kisses into the mirror than what was considered proper.

But, for once, Lance didn’t feel awkward or out of sorts when getting ready for the day. He felt like an entirely new person. Someone who wasn’t scared by big dogs or a succulent looking at him incorrectly. Someone who was just another face amongst the bustling town of Altea. It was such a refreshing feeling that Lance began to ponder why he had taken so long to move on with his life and away from the village that cared too much about his personal life.

Three sharp, curt knocks against the door, along with the shrilly ring of his doorbell made Lance let out an extremely manly yell of nothing but annoyance (definitely not a shrill shriek of fear) before regaining composure with a drawn out groan. Wolves didn’t live in England. He really needed to get over himself at this point. He heard one howl. That was it. Perhaps someone owned a weirdly large dog and happened to be taking it out on a walk…at midnight…in the pitch black. It could happen, Lance mentally convinced himself before scurrying down the creaking steps to fling the door open.

The man who stood in front of Lance looked nothing short of a model. With a stocky, muscular body and eyes that twinkled with nothing but kindness and warmth, Lance was instantly filled with a sense of ease and comfort. Though, the one thing that caught Lance’s eyes was the distinct outfit the stranger was wearing. It was…interesting, to say the least; with his mustard yellow shirt, cropped green shirt with odd shoulders pads that seemed to protrude from nothing, the khaki trousers that seemed to have darker patches sewn into where the knees went along with some smart looking combat boots. In short, the man’s outfit was strange but Lance was digging it.

“Hello?” Lance shook his head as he came back into reality, a flush of embarrassment running through his body as he finally dragged his eyes back up to the stranger’s face. He expected scorn or annoyance…he didn’t expect the man’s smile to grow just that bit wider and just that bit more cheerful. “My name is Hunk! My house is closest to you and, well, I cooked some ‘Welcome!’ cookies. I heard that, that’s what you’re meant to do with neighbours?” Though happy, Lance couldn’t help but notice the slight nervous tremor that hid in Hunk’s voice.

But cookies? Lance was being gifted cookies by a man who looked like nothing short of the embodiment of sunshine? Altea was already amazing and…Lance needed to real his personality in a little bit. He wasn’t sure how open Altea’s citizens were yet and that was something he didn’t want to find out too soon. “Thank you so much!” Was all he managed to chirp, mouth-watering and stomach rumbling as he took in the sight of the still warm cookies, “I’m Lance, completely new to this area and…to England in general really?”

Hunk’s face melted into a look of content joy as he listened patiently to Lance’s rambling and, though he desperately wanted to shut up and stop talking, Lance continued to gush over the cookies and how he had never had a neighbour bring over anything before – which really wasn’t a lie. He had only seen that happen in books and movies, never in real life. It was only when Lance tapered off gradually did he sighed heavily and step to the side slightly. “Would you like to come in for some coffee?” He offered weakly, beyond relieved when Hunk nodded and took a step into the bare home.

Lance led the way down the hall into the living room which joined onto the kitchen, waving as Hunk to take a seat as he did so. He didn’t notice when Hunk paused the eye at the window where the succulent sat, nostrils flaring and eyes flashing briefly before he sat into the plush sofa. The two made idle chatter as Lance set up the cookies and made the coffee just how Hunk liked it – full of sugar and milk. It was surprising, to say the least, how Lance and Hunk fell into easy chats littered with jokes and playful jabs. It was something Lance could have only dreamed of when he was young. But now it was happening and his heart had never felt so full with complete and utter happiness. It was the sort of happiness that engulfed your entire being as you physically ached with grateful tears stinging at your eyes.

It was only when there was a solid knock sounding twice that conversation died. Lance shot Hunk a confused look, to which the other simply shrugged, before inching hesitantly towards the door and peering out of it curiously. There was…no one there? His confusion growing, Lance inched out of his house to peer curiously at the surrounding area. He…really didn’t expect to be ‘ding dong ditched’ on a street with only one house.With a grumble which would rival with his abuelo, Lance shut the door with a gentle thud and trekked back into the joint lounge-kitchen.

“Hunk, do people make a habit of knocking and running? I really didn’t expect it in a town like his, especially on this street. Which, speaking of, why is it so ‘zombie apocalypse abandoned’ down here? I thought a town like Altea would have gold streets, y’know, like how London is meant to be amazing but is actually pretty dead- OH MY GOD!” Lance screeched when he saw a...gremlin sitting on his now crumb filled sofa, shovelling cookies into their mouth whilst Hunk sat idly by. He was going to have a heart attack, Lance decided with a pitiful whine. He had just moved and now he was going to die because a young girl had managed to sneak into his house and eat his cookies. (Lance would silently mourn the loss of those beautiful cookies.)  


“Oh Lance, meet Katie, better known as Pidge.” Hunk, the beautiful man, had such a way about him that Lance almost found himself not too upset over the fact that someone somehow managed to sneak into his house. “She, um, she’s good at making people uncomfortable for fun.”

Pidge snorted into the cookie she was eating, leaning back into the sofa with a nonchalance that could rival a cocky King that would laze about on his throne. This person was...also oddly dressed but it wasn’t as bad as Hunk. With a large sweater which swarmed her small frame and baggy shorts that only cut off by her knee, Lance was beginning to think Altea was a little bit behind on what good fashion sense actually was. “I don’t enjoy making people uncomfortable,” Pidge said smoothly, her voice filled with a sprinkle of cockiness that made Lance stiffen because of muscle memory, “I like surprising people. And, well, Lance is fresh meat and I thought it would’ve been funny.”

As though noting Lance’s internal panic, Pidge’s brow furrowed in worry and she leant up. “But that’s not for everyone. Sorry if I freaked you out, man. I go by Pidge. I saw that you had enrolled for the same college course as me and, when Hunk mentioned he was going to visit you, I thought I would introduce myself by pranking you a little bit.”

Lance felt his entire body relax as she explained, his body relaxing and heart calming. He wasn’t back there anymore. He was safe. He was fine. “It’s okay,” Lance was quick to reassure, a small smile playing on his lips as he sat on the single chair that faced opposite the sofa. “I’m just easily spooked. Living with loads of siblings makes you a bit...jumpy when it comes to pranks.” A complete lie, but as long as they didn’t know that, it was fine.

They soon settled back into the comfortable chatter, laughs, cookies and various drinks being passed around and served. It was relaxing. It was blissful. It...was bound to end eventually. And that came in the form of a distant rumble of a horn far in the distance which shook the windows and made the succulent jostle about slightly. Though Lance was prepared to brush it off, he paused when he saw Hunk and Pidge slowly standing, gazes apologetic and smiles warm.

“Hey man, thanks for the food but we gotta head to work. Sorry for suddenly bouncing.” Hunk’s grin was apologetic as he bought a frozen Lance into a warm, gripping hug. “We can meet up later?”

“Yeah, sure.” Lance nodded, a dazed and confused smile on his face as he gave a small smile to Pidge who gave him a dramatic salute. 

As soon as they were there, they were gone. That was...odd. Very weird. With a crinkle of his eyebrows and pursed lips, Lance began to clear up the mess on the table, his mind wandering as he tried to shake off the unsettled feeling in his chest. Perhaps it was a coincidence? Perhaps it was just a tradition for the town? Like a clock that chimes every hour? As Lance glanced to his phone to see the time, Lance saw that it read out ‘14:00’ on the dot. A church then, is what he decided to settle on with a soft breath of relief. Even as the unsettled feeling decided to make its home at the base of his stomach, Lance decided that it was time to go out and wander around the town to see where all the good hiding spots were. If only he knew what the rest of the day would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So........how you doin?  
> I feel that the end was slightly rushed but I couldn't really think of an eloquent way to lead it onto the next chapter, where we will take a dive into Altea and meet even more people with just as odd clothing and some boyant personalities!


	3. The Man With A Thousand Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When things don't go according to plan, Lance finds himself meeting a man who has a lot to say.

The Man With A Thousand Stories

 

Hell. Hell is what the day would bring. As soon as Lance had decided to step foot out of his house and wander down the street, the Heavens had opened up and completely doused it’s unsuspecting target with sharp, bullet shaped drops. With an undignified screech, Lance had run forward in the town, shoes slapping loudly against the cobbled road and eyes squinted as he tried to see past the blur of rain. There was no time to stop and admire the painted signs or the buckets that blossomed with brightly coloured flowers. He wasn’t able to even read the sign on the door of the shop that he darted into. All Lance was able to think about, in that moment, was getting out of the rain as fast as he could in order to reserve some of his composure (which had left him just as quickly as the startled shriek he had let out only moments earlier.

With a heaving chest and eyes as wide as saucers, Lance slowly turned around to eye the seemingly empty shop that he had entered. It was, in short, otherworldly. The wooden frames were lit with softly glowing lights that illuminated the vines which curled around the beams. Draping from the ceiling, the greenery brushed lightly against hundreds, if not thousands, of stones and gems. Some twinkled and glinted in the dull room – whilst others seemed to hide amongst the shadows. The colours ranged from soft purples to obsidian blacks. However, two gems which caught Lance’s eyes were the two pressed together in the back corner of one of the more tattered tables. Though similar in shape and colour, both gems were a warm shade of yellow which seemed to glow and feed off of the lights that shone down onto them. Both were scratched and seemingly dirtied but…Lance still felt his breath get knocked out of his chest as he crept closer to them. 

The rest of the stones seemed to watch Lance as he crept forwards as quietly as he could (though he didn’t know why he was trying to be silent…everything about the shop simply screamed sacred. So much so that Lance would have felt wrong to walk normally in fear of disrupting that same peace). When he paused to peer down at the two stones, Lance’s attention was gently coaxed to spare a glance around the shop. Now that his heart had calmed down, and now that his eyes weren’t as squinted as before, Lance was able to spot quite a few bubbling bottles in a brewery like stand. Surrounding said stand were candles which flickered and danced amongst the greenery which shrouded around them. All previous tension which had been steadily building up within Lance’s muscles slowly eased away and, should he apply the more creative side of his mind to real life situations, Lance would have said that it almost felt as though the room itself was easing away any and all wrongs that had been a constant ache within the damp boy. It was a weird yet welcomed feeling.

That all, of course, went flying out the window when he felt a tap on his shoulder and heard a chipper voice exclaim a jolly “Hello there!”. At least, Lance reflected after he had jumped just about a foot in the air, he didn’t shriek or yelp. Nope. Instead, he gasped and whipped around so quickly that one foot managed to step on the others shoe lace, which caused him to slip and fall onto the wooden ground with an almighty THWAK. As Lance groaned and shook his head, he distantly heard a worried voice speaking above him until everything fell silent once more. He breathed a slow, calming breath in an attempt to take note of what in his body hurt and what didn’t. It was basically part of a routine to do this check whenever Lance had somehow managed to hurt himself. Limbs? Safe. Torso? A bit sore but nothing a hot bath wouldn’t fix. Neck and head? A bit tender but that would pass with time. Slowly, and with a laziness Lance felt as though he deserved after being spooked, the young man slowly roll his head so he could scrutinize the person who had doomed him to his painful fate.

Only to stop short. The man, with all his flaming orange hair and well-kept moustache, still had a look of genuine yet patient concern as he peered down and, for the briefest moment, the two were stuck in an odd staring contest as they tried to mentally and silently decide what would happen next. 

“I’m so sorry, my boy.” The man spoke up first as he offered his arm out for Lance in a silent offer; an offer which Lance took with a soft grunt and small wince. “I should have known not to disturb a customer when they’re looking through all my gems. Why! I remember when blessed Allura would speak to customers when she was but a wee Bab! Terrified half of them into a minor heart attack - let me tell you.” Lance simply watched. “Of course I should have known my niece was destined for greatness the day she scared one of the travellers as they tried to smuggle a gem! 10 years old and full of the courage of a thousand warriors.”

As the man wiped at a tear that Lance couldn’t see, he seemed to recollect himself and straightened. “But, of course, this is all meaningless if you we aren’t at the barest minimum acquainted! My name is Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe! But you may simply call me Coran if we are to be friends.” A bright smile overtook the slightly wrinkled face and Lance couldn’t help himself but to smile lightly back. “And what may your name be, young man?”

“I’m Lance. Lance McClain.” Lance offered out his hand, which Coran shook eagerly and on the touch side of a bit too tightly. “I moved here yesterday and decided to come sightseeing. At least, that was the plan before it started raining.” The young man chuckled softly and peered out of the dimmed windows, nose wrinkling when he saw that it was still pouring. The road which had been b right and cheerful yesterday was now damp and darkened. The flowers which stood proudly were now drooped under the onslaught of heavy fire droplets that showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. With a disgruntled huff, Lance turned to Coran with a sheepish smile.

“I don’t suppose I’m able to stop by here for a small while?” He asked nervously, bottom lip being nibbled between his teeth. Coran seemed to take a small step back and eye Lance for a moment, moustache twitching and lips pursing.

“I don’t see why that would be an issue!” The man eventually chirped out, the bright smile that had been there once now coming back with full force. “Why, in all honesty, I thought you were here to buy those two Amber stones. You seemed quite drawn to them,” again with the slightly squinted eyes, “but it’s no issue if you were simply browsing to distract yourself from the rain outside! In fact, I just brewed the kettle before you came in. So, if that cold is settling into your bones a little bit, I can always whip up some tea, coffee or some hot chocolate. It’s completely up to you.”

Boisterous even in his movements, Coran whipped around and ambled down the rickety shop to get where a small, hidden away counter stood proudly - even as it groaned under the weight of the ancient computer that sat upon it. Lance followed quickly behind after his mind processed exactly what Coran said, a small smile on his lips. After years of learning English, Lance would like to think he was able to keep a conversation going quite well, but there were still moments where his brain took a brief moment to take in and process exactly what someone had said. However, instead of looking annoyed or a bit bothered by the pause in conversation, Coran simply busied himself with getting his own drink ready before turning to face the Cuban boy who looked far too excited at the mention of hot chocolate.

“A hot chocolate would be lovely right about now if it isn’t too much of a hassle.” Lance’s excited smile turned sheepish but he was quick to relax when Coran whipped up probably the best hot chocolate Lance had ever tasted in his life. “Also, seeing as you’re from around here, I actually have a question about some noises I heard by my house last night.”

That seemed to do the trick in gathering Coran’s attention. Without skipping a beat, Lance went on to explain everything he had heard the previous night. From the sharp howls to how all the critters in the forest seemed to fall silent past a certain time. “I didn’t think wolves still existed in England. Especially not this far South West.” Cocking his head to the side, Lance watched Coran and waited with baited breath. If it turned out that Lance was living near either a lone wolf or wolf pack, he would lose his mind and probably flee back to Cuba. Well…probably not to Cuba - maybe somewhere else.

“I see.” Coran hummed after a while. “Well, my boy. I would have to take the blame for that.”

Lance frowned, confused. “You’re a wolf?” He cocked his head, a disbelieving look on his face.

He jolted in surprise when Coran barked out a sharp laugh, eyes darting to the bottles that were perched precariously on the edge of a nearby shelf, watching as they shuddered slightly. A brief thought crossed through Lance’s mind and, for a moment, he wondered how on Earth this place had passed its health and safety inspection. Shaking off the diverging thoughts, Lance focused back in on Coran who was wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, brows furrowed and lips pursed in confusion.

“No, no, my boy. I own two wolf dogs. They’re very similar to wolves in many way and they have a knack for escaping my back garden which backs up onto the forest.” Coran explained kindly as he whipped out his phone, showing off two black dogs that were sat proudly together.

On the phone there were two massive dogs (although Lance suspected Coran might have accidentally got himself involved in an illegal trade because those…were definitely not dogs), both varying levels are terrifying whilst still managing to maintain a cute front. Their eyes, a brilliant hue of Amber; which held a striking resemblance to the stones in which Lance had stumbled upon early that morning, seemed to hold intelligence within them. An intelligence which held a sense of weariness that screamed of past trauma. As Lance leant in a bit more to study the dogs, he felt his breath hitch. Their paws alone were huge and, as he panned his gaze up, he was met with a glimpse of pearly white canines that promised death to whomever dare to challenge them. From head to tail, both wolves were a deep black and, against the forest background in which they sat upon, they seemed almost too dark to really be real. But Coran didn’t seem like the type to lie so Lance allowed himself to believe that these dogs were as black as they appeared.

What separated them, Lance noticed with an intrigued hum, were their markings. Both beasts had white flecks upon their muzzle along with a shock of white upon their chest. However, the slightly slimmer dog had a patch of white which streaked across its shoulder in a jagged, uneven line. Lance would have assumed that these dogs were related, had he not been listening to Coran as he rambled on about how he found the dogs in different areas on his travels. It sounded as though the slimmer dog was found in a fighting ring and Coran, being the soft hearted fool he was, had decided to take the potentially dangerous dog in under his wing. He explained in depth about how the dog seemed to stop himself from trusting the human and, instead, would snap and growl at the slightest bit of impatience or ill manner that came before him. It wasn’t until Coran found the bulkier dog tied up and abandoned that he saw his first dog blossom into the character he was today.

Coran explained fondly how the dogs seemed to be the light in each other’s life that they needed to find a will that allowed them to move on from their past trauma. Even Lance would happily admit that a slight sheen of tears had accumulated in the corner of his eyes at the story. With that in mind, Lance peered down at the dogs once more with a different perception.  
He no longer saw ferocious beasts that could kill in one swipe of their mighty paws. Instead, he saw two dogs that had been manipulated and used for the will of corrupt humans, only for them to be able to come out stronger and more loyal to the one human who hadn’t wished any harm upon them.

“But yes, I apologise for allowing my dogs to wander around the forest. I wasn’t aware that your house had been up for sale so I assumed they weren’t bothering anyone too much but continuing their nightly escapades.” Coran smiled sheepishly, going to sip at his warm drink, only to realise that he had finished it at some point during his storytelling, Lance also looked down with a slight pout at the fact that he had, at some point, finished off his drink. “But! No fear, I will install a stronger fence so they don’t bother you anymore.”

Lance smiled gratefully, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly at that. “Thank you, Coran. I’m sure they wouldn’t harm me but it is a bit disconcerting to see massive dogs running around the forest when you thought you were alone.”

Standing with a light chuckle, Lance stretched and eyed the window, humming in pleasant surprise. “Well, the rain has stopped.” He announced with a soft hum. Turning back to Coran, Lance pulled out some money and placed it down on the desk, diligently ignoring Coran’s protests. “Thank you for the warm drink and for the beautiful story but I think I should continue on with my exploring before I lose anymore daylight.”

“Of course, my boy. I suggest that you visit the spa that is just down the road. You seem like the type to care for yourself so it should be a treat.” Coran smiled brightly, not a hint of judgement on his face as he set about cleaning the mugs.

“Will do, Coran.” The boy chirped in response, smiling happily as he wandered on over to the door that he now saw was only just barely hanging on. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Goodbye Lance! Enjoy the rest of your day and, remember, there are no wolves in Altea! Just big dogs!”

Lance left with a hearty chuckle, shaking his head as he stepped out and onto the now wet pebbled road. With a smile on his face and a skip in his step, Lance began his search for the spa. He really could do with a few products. Travelling and moving around had done some evil things to his skin and, with a decisive nod of his head; Lance decided that only high end treatment could deal with it. And if it was just an excuse to pamper his skin and treat himself to something special…well, no one here knew him so he had no need to worry.

It was a fresh start and Coran’s joyful attitude simply added to the bounce in his step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! ALSO, if you couldn't tell, this fic is gonna be hella slow burn and is probably gonna take a while for us to actually meet the duo that we're all here for....but dont worry, it'll be worth it. I promise!  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope I managed to capture Coran's amazing personality (I love him so much, he's so underrated)  
> Thank you to everyone who commented on my first chapter,it meant the absolute worl to me <3 y'all don't realise how much I read those comments when I need a bit of motivation so thank you so, so, so much <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed :D  
> Comments are cherished and Kudos are loved forever  
> <3  
> If you ever wanna chat, hmu on my Tumblr: myinvisibleescape  
> I'm nearly always online and I'm ready to chat about anything


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